Brake hanger retaining means



June 15, 1937. v. H. HARBERT I BRAKE HANGER RETAINING MEANS Filed Jan. 51, 1936 1e 31' x0 I am 20" W wwmw 1 v Jim? Patented June 15, 1937 BRAKE HANGER RETAINING MEANS Victor H. Harbert, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Illinois Railway Equipment Company, Chicago,

111., a corporation of Illinois Application January 31, 1936, Serial No. 61,767

4 Claims.

My invention relates to means for retaining and suspending the hangers of brakes of railroad cars from the truck frames; the invention having for its object the provision of means whereby 5 the links, whether of a continuous or U-shape form, although more especially adapted for use with the link type of hanger, are securely and pendently held in place against improper vibration and chatter, while at the same time permit 10 the ready removal and substitution of either type of link without necessitating alteration in the socket or pocket formed in the bracket arm secured to the truck frame.

My invention has for one of its objects the provision of hanger retaining members or blocks so formed that vibratory or twisting movement of one block on the other will be prevented and consequently also a frictional relation between the members or blocks and the walls of the socket 20 in the bracket arm eliminated.

The objects and the advantages of my invention will all be readily comprehended from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of truck frame and bracket provided with my improved retaining means, with the portions of the brake hanger broken away and shown in section.

Figure 2 is a view taken at right angles to Fig- 30 ure 1 and looking atthe forward side of the bracket and my improved retaining means, in-

termediate portions of the bracket and of the brake hanger being broken away.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2.

40 bers or blocks, which constitute the hanger retaining means, in position to be fitted about the upper end of the brake supporting hanger.

My improved retaining means is especially intended for use in connection with the continuous or closed link type of hanger illustrated at I; and the hanger or link retainer means are intended to be used more especially with the open sided bracket shown at H in Figure 2.

The bracket is preferably integral with the truck frame H2 at a point adjacent to the wheels, with the outer end provided with vertically spaced apart portions i3, i3 united at the rear and thus providing an open front and side pocket. The bracket is of the well known type as more 55 clearly disclosed in my former Patent Number 1,734,088 and hence will need no further detailed description.

The link hanger retaining means or keeper elements are shown at M, M, in Figure 5; a pair of keeper elements being used, one on top of the other, and the two elements with the upper end of the link hanger disposed therebetween, are then inserted through the forward open end of the pocket formed in the bracket.

The keeper elements M, M are identical in construction, with the matching or abutting faces provided with a dished portion or arcuate groove l5, extending longitudinally from end to end of each element or block M. The grooves l5 of the two elements or blocks when the latter are in superposed relation constitute a substantially circular channel adapted to swingingly support the upper closed end of the brake hanger H].

The rear longitudinal sides of the keeper elements !4, namely the sides which extend into the rear of the pocket in the bracket, are preferably shouldered as shown at it intermediate of the ends of the keeper elements as clearly shown in Figure 5; the shoulders l6 fitting into the rear portion of the pocket; while the ends of the.

keeper elements adjacent the shoulders are preferably rounded as shown at H to seat on the curved partial end walls I8 of the pocket.

With the shoulders iii of the keeper elements extending into the pocket rearward of the for-:

ward faces of the end walls 18 of the pocket, longitudinal movement of the superposed keeper elements in the pocket is impossible and proper positioning in the bracket maintained.

The keeper elements or blocks [4, being identical in construction, are interchangeable and permit either element or block to be'located above or below the hanger. As a result, easy assembly is not only made possible, but a comparatively low cost of manufacture is provided.

In the particular design of keeper elements, the forward longitudinal sides of the blocks l4 are each shown provided with .a vertically disposed arcuate groove I9 extending across the front face of each block to provide passage of a suitable bolt, as at 20, which isinserted through registering holes provided in the forwardly presented portions of the vertically spaced top and bottom walls It of the pocket in the bracket. With the bolt 20 seated in the sockets or grooves 19 and with the shoulders I 6 extending rearwardly beyond the arcuate side walls iii of the pocket, it is apparent that the superposed keeper elements with the hanger Ill will be held in the pocket of the bracket; and as the top and bottom walls l3 of the pocket are preferably made to slope downwardly toward the rear, see Figures 1 and 3, practically no strains will be placed on the retaining bolt 20.

5 While the lower end of the bolt is usually threaded and provided with nuts as shown, it may be preferred to employ a suitable bolt locking means as at 2| in order to prevent accidental loss of the bolt in the event that the nuts should work loose. The bolt lock shown is of well known construction and therefore will need no detailed description.

As the brake hanger is subjected to constant vibration and oscillatory movement, it is apparcut that the keeper elements or hanger supporting and holding blocks l4, [4 will also be subjected to considerable vibration and twisting strains which will cause contacting surfaces to become worn.

In order to overcome this condition and prevent movement of one element or holding block on the other, I provide the opposing faces of the two blocks with interengaging or matching surfaces. These interengaging surfaces in the specific embodiment consist of lugs and sockets so arranged that the lugs of one block will register with the sockets of the other block. For example, the flat face or wall on one side of the hanger receiving groove or channel is provided adjacent one end with an upstanding and preferably slightly tapered lug 22, and at the other end of said face is provided with a matching hole or socket 23; while the fiat surface on the opposite side of the groove or channel i5 of each block is slightly enlarged intermediate of the ends and each provided with a lug 24 and a hole or socket 25 arranged preferably adjacent the lug 24.

It is apparent that when the blocks are arranged in superposed relation, causing the top 40 block to be turned end for end as shown in Figure 5, the lug 22 at the right hand end of the lower block will register with and enter socket 23 at the right hand end of the upper block; the lug 22 at the left hand end of the upper block in 45 Figure 5 will register with the socket 23 at the left hand end of the lower block; while the lug 24 of the lower block will register with socket 25 in the upper block and its lug 24 will register with the socket 25 in the lower block.

With the multiple interlock between the two hanger retaining elements, it is apparent that shifting of one block on the other will be impossible and frictional or binding contact with associated surfaces or elements will be eliminated 55 and free oscillatory movement of the hanger or link ID will be permitted.

In assembling the parts, the upper end of the hanger or link I0 is first placed in the groove [5 of the lower block, with the side of the block pro- 60 vided with the shoulder I6 and lug and socket 24, 25 disposed toward the pocket in the bracket; the upper block I4 is then placed on top of the lower block with its shouldered side also disposed toward the pocket in the bracket. The lugs and sockets will thus all register and provide interlocking relation between the blocks which, together with the suspended hanger, are then inserted through the front opening of the pocket with the vertical grooves IS in the front sides of the blocks made to register with the bolt receiving holes in the upper and lower walls l3 of the pocket and the bolt 20 is then put into place.

While it may be possible to somewhat modify the construction shown, I believe the structure disclosed to be the best embodiment of my invention because merely a single pattern is necessary and hence low cost of manufacture provided; certain modifications being possible without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. Brake hanger retaining means of the character described comprising a pair of correlated members provided with matching faces adapted to be superposed on each other, each member having a hanger receiving groove extending from end to end and each member having upstanding and depressed surfaces arranged at corresponding points, the depressed surfaces matching and adapted to receive the corresponding upstanding surfaces, whereby the one member is locked against shifting movement on the other member.

2. Brake hanger retaining means of the character described comprising a pair of correlated blocks, each block being provided with a hanger receiving groove extending from end to end and a flat seating surface on opposite sides of the groove, each of said surfaces being provided with a lug and a socket, the sockets of one block matching and receiving the lugs of the other block whereby shifting movement between the blocks is prevented.

3. Brake hanger retaining means of the character described comprising a pair of matching blocks adapted to be arranged in superposed relation with one end of a hanger therebetween, each block having a hanger receiving semi-cylindrical groove extending from end to end and having fiat seating surfaces on opposite sides of the groove, one longitudinal side of each block being formed for the vertical passage of a retaining bolt, the upper fiat face of said side being provided with a socket at one end and an upstanding lug at the other end, while the upper flat face 

